Portsmouth Police officer arrested after reported fight with fellow cop

Richard J. Doyle, who's no longer on the force, charged with disorderly conduct

Posted 9/29/22

PORTSMOUTH — A seven-year veteran of the Portsmouth Police Department was arrested after allegedly striking another off-duty cop at Local Kitchen & Cocktails restaurant on Sept. …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Register to post events


If you'd like to post an event to our calendar, you can create a free account by clicking here.

Note that free accounts do not have access to our subscriber-only content.

Day pass subscribers

Are you a day pass subscriber who needs to log in? Click here to continue.


Portsmouth Police officer arrested after reported fight with fellow cop

Richard J. Doyle, who's no longer on the force, charged with disorderly conduct

Posted

PORTSMOUTH — A seven-year veteran of the Portsmouth Police Department was arrested after allegedly striking another off-duty cop at Localz Kitchen & Cocktails restaurant on Sept. 14.

Richard J. Doyle, who was charged with disorderly conduct, is no longer on the force, police said.

Police responded to the restaurant, located at 657 Park Ave. in Island Park, for a report of a fight in progress.

“The initial investigation found that two off-duty Portsmouth Police officers had been involved in a physical altercation while inside the restaurant,” police said in a prepared statement. “The responding officers arrived on scene and found that the altercation had ended. The on-duty officers took measures to secure the scene, preserve evidence, and interview witnesses.”

After an internal investigation, police determined that Doyle had struck the other off-duty officer, who had been seated at the table with him, police said.

“Officer Doyle was then escorted out of the restaurant. (He) then re-entered the lobby of the restaurant and initiated a physical altercation with the same off-duty officer who was now leaving the establishment,” police said.

The department obtained an arrest warrant and charged Doyle with disorderly conduct, police said.

“At the time of this incident, Officer Doyle had already provided notification of his intention to resign from the Portsmouth Police Department effective Sept. 20, 2022. At this time Doyle is no longer employed by the Town of Portsmouth as a police officer,” police said. 

The investigation found that criminal charges against the second off-duty officer were not warranted. 

“The second officer is still currently employed with the Town of Portsmouth and is no longer under criminal investigation,” police said. 

No other information related to any internal investigation can be released under the Law Enforcement Officers’ Bill of Rights (Rhode Island Generals Laws 42-28.6-2), police said.

2024 by East Bay Media Group

Barrington · Bristol · East Providence · Little Compton · Portsmouth · Tiverton · Warren · Westport
Meet our staff
Jim McGaw

A lifelong Portsmouth resident, Jim graduated from Portsmouth High School in 1982 and earned a journalism degree from the University of Rhode Island in 1986. He's worked two different stints at East Bay Newspapers, for a total of 18 years with the company so far. When not running all over town bringing you the news from Portsmouth, Jim listens to lots and lots and lots of music, watches obscure silent films from the '20s and usually has three books going at once. He also loves to cook crazy New Orleans dishes for his wife of 25 years, Michelle, and their two sons, Jake and Max.